In Central Harlem, over 60% of children live in poverty, and their health tells its own story. Infant mortality is more than twice the city average. One child in every four has asthma. The prevalence of diabetes is nearly double that of New York state and only increasing as childhood obesity skyrockets. An abundance of environmental stress factors – elevated incidence of violent crime, one of the highest foster care placement rates in New York state, an unemployment rate twice that of the rest of the city – aggravate the effects of disease, further jeopardizing Harlem children’s chances of growing up healthy.
In 1999, Project HEALTH brought its model to the community surrounding Harlem Hospital Center, where it now provides a sustained health intervention in the lives of over 350 families annually. Through its innovative, undergraduate-driven youth programming and family advocacy, Project HEALTH NY works to ensure that every child in this community grows up free from the obstacles of poor health and cultivates a new generation of leaders in an effort to eradicate the link between poverty and poor pediatric health.
Programs
- Harlem Community Resource Center
- Asthma Swimming Program
- Girls Fitness and Nutrition
- STRIVE
- TIDES (Type I Diabetics) Program
- Ujima Program
Donate
Every $1 donated to Project HEALTH yields $3 worth of services to improve child health, thanks to the generosity of the student volunteers, physician mentors, and community partners who donate time and space for our programs. Please make your tax-deductible contribution today.
Download a brochure about Project HEALTH!